Golden Times | Book 1

1.

I woke up with the windows being open and I instantly know that is time to get up. I'm not sure what my father has programed me to do but I do know that today's lunch is a very important meeting in wich we all are supposed to look like a happy family. I mean I love my father but I can't say the same for my mother. The whole town knows what she does with my father's counselor but my father can't do anything or our reputation would be over.

We're having a bad time. We are facing pirate attacks pretty much twice a month and it's impossible to repair everthing and also prepare the forces to battle. My father does not let me help him, he says I'm a girl so I'm suposed to be in the castle all day. The last attack devasted our fort so the next attack has to be well prepared.

'Miss Isabelle you have to get up, it's already late, your mother is already ready and your father wants to serve the breakfast' one of the many maids that my parents have in this house says.

I don't say anything I just get up and get ready for breakfast with the help of the maid. Getting the corset tied is always one of the worst moments of my days but getting him off is one of the bests. With my 17 years I think I've been dressing this things for the most years of my life.

I walk through the big hallway with the same maid following me, she's probably going to serve the breakfast. I see the amount of stairs in front of me and as usual George was standing there waiting for me to help me get down the stair. I know exactly what he's trying to do for this long 10 years. He wants to marry me, and I even heard him talking about it with my father but, I don't want anything with him.

'Good morning Miss Spring, I hope you had a good night' George said with a big smile

'Good morning George'

I don't say anything else as usual. I think he is already used to it. I walk to the table right in the middle of the big saloon and I see my father looking into my mother's eyes like if he was going to kill her. I have idea of what happened but I'm not gonna ask and have a chance to ruin father's day...

'Good morning Isabelle sit down, let's have breakfast.' my father says as he sits down with a big smile in his face.

'George you can sit down as well, I heard you have something to ask' mother says and I see father look at her sadly.

I have no idea of what's going on. Usually father is so talkative he loves to tell me about his day and today he's serious, and mother has an evil smile on her face. Also, why is George even sitting with us for breakfast when mother doesn't even let ler lover come and join us if it's not an important meeting?

I decide not to ask what's going on. I just start eating the bread I have in my plate and drinking the hot tea that I love. I see my mother's look in George the whole time and I'm starting to get unconfortable with it. What my mother is planing does not make my father happy and you can see that from miles away.

'George, what's making you so nervous boy? Ask what you got to ask!' My mother says happily

'Of course ma'am. Miss Spring would you, with your parents permission, marry me?'

I gasped with my tea has he finished that sentence. My father quickly gets to me and tries to help me while my mother and George look at me waiting for an answer. Of course I don't wanna marry him, Jesus... He's not the kind of man I want in my life. I mean he's a good man but just not for me. Once I can finally calm myself my fathers gets back to his chair and my mother keeps looking at me.

'Ah... Ah... Isn't it too early for marriage? I'm only 17.' I said but when I saw my mothers face I regret saying it.

'You think it's early? Isabella you have to grow up! You can't be a kid anymore. At your age I was already married with your father for 2 years! You have to become a lady, the only way for that to happen is by marrying George. So, the answer is yes George, where's the ring?'

I can't say anything has I watch George get up and putting a ring with a giant crystal in my hand. I don't want this marriage. My mother is making me marry a man that I don't love so she can keep her name in the society. My mouth is closed and it will be for a time so I just get up and walk over to the piano room. I know no one goes in there but me and my dad, so I'm safe here.

That big, cold and ridiculous ring shines in my hand. I know I can't take it off but it's a remind of George that I don't want. I sit down in from of the big piano. Usually I don't think I just go and play whatever comes to my mind but today nothing is coming. I walk to the window. I watch the busy lifes of many citizens in London. Sometimes I wish I had a life like these people. I like my life but I'm not as free as I wish I was. I'm suposed to be a smart woman but I'm only smart in things that you can learn in books. I know nothing about life. I have people to do everything to me, I'm used to it but sometimes I wish it was different.

{...}

As soon as I can hear the clock on the hallway play the door opens and the same maid that was with me in the morning comes to get me. Isabella you have to calm down it's a very important lunch for business you have to be correct. The stairs again and George again. He smiles to me as if he was the most happy person in the world and this time, he wraps his arms in my waist. I look over to him confused. I never said that he could have this kind of approach with me. Once he understands what I mean with that look he wraps his arm in mine and we go down the stairs.

In the big salon there's two mans that I've never seen in my life. I understand that they are discussing business so I just stand next to my mother waiting for my father to introduce us. Not very after my arrival my father spot me and walks with both man to me and my mother.

'William and James this is my daughter Isabella and this is my wife Marie' They both salute us and then we walk to the table.

I could notice that my father didn't introduced George but I didn't say anything. As usual there's a lot of food in the table and once the lunch starts the maid that was in the corner leaves the room. My father talked with the mans about business and how we could stops those pirate attacks once London is getting very affected with two attacks in a month.

Pirates are evil. They're monsters and shouldn't even be considered people. They destroy what we took ages to build and they don't care what will take and how many lifes they're gonna take to have what they want.

Once we finish the lunch the maid gets in the room and takes the food that was left over. My mother asks for the desert and we wait for the maid to get back. The conversations continues and I seem to be only person that notices that the maid is taking too long just to go and get the desert from the kitchen.

'Mother don't you think that the maid is taking too long in the kitchen?'

As soon as I finish the sentence the door that goes to the kitchen to the salon opens and one of the guards shows up looking very scared.

'Sir, we have pirates in the castle! They are here I don't know how they got here but they are! We have to find you some place safe!'

So, this is the first chapter. I hope you guys liked it!